Life with The Jacksons'
by TheMockingjay1998
Summary: One shots of Paul's involvement in Percy and Sally's lives, from meeting percy onward. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

A/N. I hope you guys enjoy, and let me know what you think. Sooo, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. If I did, would I really be writing fanfics about it? No, I'd be in Hawaii.

Paul POV

I sat in the cozy little coffee shop, staring at Sally Jackson as she told me about her son. Apparently, said son, Percy Jackson, was your average juvenile delinquent. Sally described how her son had gotten expelled from practically every school he'd attended, and how, when he was twelve, was subject to a national manhunt. Obviously, if it were me, I would be extremely disappointed in these said accomplishments, but Sally seemed to be glowing with pride, all worry and stress gone from her face as she thought about her son. How would a son such as Percy bring out this side of Sally? I was startled from my thoughts by Sally's next question. "How'd you like to meet him, Paul?" I hesitated. Did I really want to meet this Percy? I looked at sally, and noticed the hopeful smile plastered on her face and the way her eyes pleaded with me. Of course, I couldn't resist.

"Sure, I'd love to meed him." She smiled and kissed me sweetly on the lips. Her eyes sparkled with happiness.

"how about dinner at my house tomorrow night?" I smiled and nodded in agreement.

The next evening found me hesitantly approaching Sally Jackson's apartment building, taking the elevator to her floor, and finally ending up standing quite uncertainly at her door. How would Percy react to meeting me? Would he even care about the fact that I was dating his mother? Completely idiotic questions such as these swirled through my mind. Eventually, the rational part of my brain regained control of my thoughts and actions, and I knocked on Sally Jackson's door.

"Percy, please get the door," I heard Sally's voice call from somewhere inside the apartment. A moment later, a boy with black hair and green eyes opened the door. Said green eyes were currently glaring at me fiercely.

"Hello, Percy," I said in my best "teacher" voice. "how are you doing? I'm Paul Blofis," I could have punched myself in the face right then and there. What a horrible way to start a conversation with my girlfriend's son!

"I know who you are," Percy said flatly. "I'll go get my mom." Percy disappeared back into the apartment and came back a moment later with sally following him. She was wearing an apron, and she had an oven mitt on her right hand. From her expression, I could tell she was flustered.

"oh, Paul. Your early." I looked down at my watch, and saw that yes, I was early.

"Umm, sorry," I muttered, feeling flustered as well. Sally, her cheeks flaming, muttered something about going to change, leaving me alone with Percy. I was considering many different ways to start a conversation when Percy solved the problem for me.

"so, your my mom's boyfriend, huh?" he asked. I nodded. "do you love her?" His voice managed to be hard and concerned all at once, and his eyes darkened slightly.

"yes, I love your mother very much, I haven't loved anyone like I love her." Percy's face softened with relief, his eyes returning to their normal sea-green hue.

"Promise me you won't hurt her in any way. Before she met you, she was married to this horrible man who mistreated her. I never want that to happen to her again." I was shocked. I hadn't realized she'd been involved with anyone else.

"Was he your father?" Immediately, Percy's eyes flashed with anger.

"No," he growled. "She married him to protect me." His eyes widened, and he slapped a hand over his mouth, as if realizing he had said too much on a particular subject. "Just promise me you won't hurt her," Percy sighed.

"I wouldn't dream of it. I love her." Percy's face lit up in a smile.

"Thanks. I'm glad you feel that way."

Just then, Sally walked in wearing a simple but beautiful knee-length blue dress along with high-heals. I stared at her, getting lost in her eyes and the way they twinkled with happiness. Her face lit up in a smile.

"Sorry about that, Paul. Are you boys ready for dinner?"

"Food!" Percy shouted, dashing into the kitchen.

Over dinner, I got to know Percy a little better. He wasn't at all the hard, cold, and cruel person I'd imagined. Actually, he was funny, respectful, and perhaps a little obtuse. I could tell that he loved his mom, and was only trying to ensure her safety. Essentially, he wasn't the kind of kid I would peg as a delinquent. Curiously, I wondered why he had been subject to a national manhunt when he was only twelve. Impatiently, I pushed my curiosity aside for the moment. I had a feeling that bringing up the topic would cause the conversation to become tense and uncomfortable at best, and I most certainly didn't want to ruin the evening.

Everything was still going well by the middle of dessert, and, surprisingly, Percy and I had found a topic that was of equal interest to both of us, Greek mythology. We were in the midst of an avid conversation about the twelve Olympians, when a large crash emanate from somewhere in the apartment. From the shattering sounds that ensued, I deduced someone had broken through a window. Percy jumped up and ran from the room toward the direction from which the sound came.

"Why is he going to investigate on his own? Does he even know how to defend himself?" I asked, panic coloring my voice.

Sally smiled wryly. "yes, he does. He'll be fine. Let's finish dessert." From the casual way Sally spoke, I knew she wasn't concerned in the slightest for Percy's safety. This, of course, caused me to be very alarmed, but I decided to ignore it. If Sally wasn't worried, then why should I be? Sally had obviously known her son for much longer than I had, so she would know what he could and couldn't handle.

Sally and I finished dinner in a companionable silence, only broken by our occasional, well, not so occasional, kisses between bites. Just as we were getting up, Percy reentered the kitchen, a bright, innocent smile on his face.

"Sorry to interrupt your make-out session. Are there anymore cookies?" Sally pointed them out, and Percy attacked, them, shoving two or three in his mouth.

"Manners, Percy!" Sally chided, but I could tell her heart wasn't really in it."

"What was that noise, Percy?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"oh, just my pet dog and some friends," he said casually. I raised my eyebrows, but didn't question further. Reassuring myself that I'd ask Percy about this strange occurrence another time, I kissed Sally goodnight, and walked out of the Jacksons' apartment.

A/N. Hope you guys liked it. I should be updating sometime either tomorrow or Saturday. Thanks for reading! (Edit. Fixed the spelling mistakes in this chapter. Thanks for being so patient with me!)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N. Hi guys. I'm so sorry I haven't posted lately. My family just moved out of state, so I've been pretty busy lately. I could probably list about 50 lame excuses, but I guess I'll honestly say that I am a procrastinator. Also, thanks so much for the spelling corrections that I received from a reviewer. I thought my spell check had fixed the mistakes, but I guess it didn't. Just to let you know, this story takes place somewhere between Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian. I'm going to shut up and let you enjoy the next chapter of Life with the Jacksons.

Chapter 2

The afternoon was one of those that Paul liked best. The sun streamed through the windows of his English classroom as he explained to the class that yes, there is value in paying attention in an English class, and yes, all of this would be used later in life. Although he would much rather be on the beach with Sally and Percy, he was quite content here in this moment. He watched the football players falling asleep at their desks, while their girlfriends giggled and applied yet more makeup to their already thickly-layered faces. His attention was particularly caught, however, by Percy, who was sleeping with his head down on a desk in the back of the room. He was thrashing in his sleep, calling out indistinct words and phrases. Paul should have been used to this odd behavior by now. After all, he saw it quite frequently from Percy. Paul knew that Percy had dyslexia, and yes, Percy did try hard to succeed, but he never quite understood why it was so easy for him to fall asleep in English class. It was not the fact that Percy was asleep during his class that troubled Paul most. No, it was the nightmare he seemed to be having. He seemed to be shouting about a battle and someone named Anabeth.

Paul shook himself out of his reverie to see that students were beginning to turn around in their seats to face his girlfriend's son. Many were snickering and pointing. Paul rushed to wake Percy before this could escalate further.

"Percy," Paul called as he shook him. He jumps up, surprised by Paul's sudden appearance.

"What, where?" His face had turned completely white, his eyes wide and terrified. He glanced wildly around the room. Some students chuckled a bit, and Paul glared at them.

Before Paul could answer Percy's question, his usual cheerful expression had returned to his face. "Oh hi, Paul." Percy said, slightly abashed. "Sorry I fell asleep. I was just," He cut himself off with a yawn. Paul looked at him in concern.

"Are you all right?" Paul asked, low enough so the others in the class couldn't hear.

"I'm fine." He responds. "I'm just tired, that's all." Percy smiles innocently at him. Attempting to ignore the sceptical thoughts that clouded his brain, Paul returned to the front of the room and resume teaching. This was the last class of the day. When school was over, Paul decided that he would go straight to Sally to talk to her about this nightmare.

The final bell rang, and Paul nearly sprinted to his car. Driving to Sally's apartment as quickly as he could manage, Paul again found himself thinking about the strange dream. Although Percy was not Paul's own son, he did feel a certain degree of worry for him. For fifteen-year-old boys to be having nightmares of war was something Paul had never heard of before. He was sure that it was definitely not normal.

Paul walked up the stairs to Sally's apartment and knocked on the door. A moment later, Sally answered with her usual cheerful smile. Her bright smile vanished as soon as she saw his face.

"What's wrong?" She enquired, ushering him into the apartment. The smell of warm, freshly-baked cookies wafted through the apartment. They sat down in the living room.

"Well, it's about Percy." Paul explained. Her face immediately changed. Lines of worry creased her forehead.

"Is he okay?" She demanded.

"Well, he fell asleep in English class, which isn't really rare for Percy. He began to thrash around in his seat, having a nightmare about some sort of battle. He kept repeating the name Anabeth." Paul explained. To his astonishment, Sally's face cleared slightly.

"He has those nightmares often." She explained.

"Why? What causes them? No fifteen-year-old boy should be having dreams about war," Paul exclaimed in a panic.

"Well, Percy's been through more than anyone can imagine." Paul gave Sally a questioning look. "It really isn't my place to tell you." Paul felt hurt, but he tried not to show it. Apparently, his attempt was in vein, because Sally looked guilty. "I'm sorry I can't say more. It really isn't my place to tell you. This is Percy's story and his alone." Paul nodded.

"That seems fair," He decided. "If Percy wants to tell me, he can."

"I'm sure he will," Sally consoled him. "I just don't think he's ready quite yet." Paul nodded again.

Paul was feeling confused and still-though he chose not to admit it to Sally-slightly hurt. Paul decided that though there was many questions that he could not ask, the one he was only slightly curious about would be the most likely question to receive an answer.

"Well, I know Percy will be the one to tell me the entire story, but can you answer one question?" Sally looked wary.

"It depends on the question." She hedged. Paul sighed inwardly. He knew Sally didn't like keeping information from him, so he decided to make it easier for her. He grinned slightly.

"Who is Anabeth?" He asked. To his surprise, Sally threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh, she's Percy's best friend. It's obvious they really like each other, but neither of them will admit it. Oh, of course he was talking about her in his sleep." Paul laughed along with her. For the moment he forgot about the obvious secrets. For now, he just enjoyed being with Sally. For the rest of the afternoon, Paul and his girlfriend ate cookies. They talked laughed, and, kissed. He knew that how ever many secrets were still lurking in the shadows, Sally Jackson was worth it.

A/N. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It's far from my best work, I was writing it at midnight last night, so please forgive me. Please review with any ideas or comments about this story. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N. Hi guys. First of all, you guys are awesome! Thanks for the reviews and follows! You seriously rock I hope you enjoy the next chapter, and I'm sorry for it being so crappy. Well, here it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. Also, I mention Google translate in this chapter. I don't own that, either.

It had been three months since Percy's nightmare in Paul's class. During that time, Paul and Sally had moved in together. They had agreed to move to Paul's apartment, which was by bar larger than the one Percy and Sally had previously shared.

This warm evening found Paul sitting at his desk in the apartment, staring blearily out the window. He'd been grading papers for the last three hours, and his mind was beginning to swim with words and phrases from the essays he'd been grading. He picked up the next essay with a sigh, only to find that it was Percy's. He loved his girlfriend's son like his own, but he couldn't stand reading his essays. Percy's writing was messy, slanting every which way across the page. He could usually only decipher about half the composition. Today, he glanced at the wrinkled paper to find something highly unusual. At first glance, it appeared to be a neatly written essay. When Paul looked at it closer, however, he found that the characters written on the page were definitely not English. Paul was sure it wasn't Spanish. He couldn't think of any other language that Percy would know. The writing on the paper looked somehow ancient. He scrutinized the page. It almost looked l... Paul shook his head. It couldn't be. The language in which Percy had written his essay was almost certainly Greek. Paul knew that logically, Percy couldn't possibly know Greek. Greek wasn't offered at Good high. In fact, Paul was sure that Ancient Greek was a dead language.

Fascinated, Paul stared at Percy's paper. He'd never seen Percy write so neatly, or precisely. Sighing, he scanned the essay onto his computer and pasted it into Google Translate. Paul examined the English text that appeared on the screen. Paul had assigned Percy the topic of the Trojan war, and Percy seemed to be quite knowledgeable on the subject. He explained in great detail the main events of the war. Paul knew it was wonderfully written, but why the ancient Greek?

Just then, Percy walked through the front door.

"Hi, Paul." Percy greeted as he walked through the kitchen on the way to his room.

"Percy, wait," Paul stopped him. Percy obliged, but looked at Paul questioningly.

"What's up?" He asked curiously.

"I've just been grading your essay," Paul began. "It's... Well, just look at it." Percy walked over and examined his paper. He looked sheepish.

"Uh, sorry about that Paul. That tends to happen." Paul looked at him, astonished.

"Sorry? This is amazing! I didn't know you knew Greek. Ancient Greek, no less. Where did you learn it?" Percy's face turned red. Paul wondered why Percy was so abashed.

"Well, I learned it at a summer camp I go to." He explained. "It's kind of based on Greek culture and stuff." Paul's eyes widened.

"They teach you that at a summer camp?" Smirking slightly, Percy nodded. "Well, you got an a on the paper. I didn't I'm guessing you learned that at the camp also?" Paul asked, curious. Percy nodded again, smirking once again.

"I love Greek mythology." Percy explained further.

"I do, too." Paul exclaimed excited. "I actually studied it in college. It's always fascinated me. All the gods and goddesses, the heroes, and the different perspectives you get from people about the myths." Percy grimaced a little at Paul's statement, but nodded all the same. Just then, Sally entered the apartment, her arms full of groceries.

"Hello, boys." She called out. Upon seeing his mother struggling with the bags, Percy jumped up to carry them for her. Paul smiled fondly at the two of them. He couldn't believe his luck. He had Sally. Sally was more than he deserved. She was beautiful, kind, smart, and determined. Also, she loved her son more than Paul had imagined possible. The way she looked at hm... Almost as if she could loose him at any moment... Paul shook his heat. Sally had no need to worry about anything like that, or did she? Paul flicked his gaze over to Percy. A huge smile was plastered on his face as he talked to his mom. Percy was certainly strange, and yes, he had his secrets, but Paul found himself coming to love Percy as a father would his own son. They were a family now, Paul was sure of it.

They ate dinner which consisted of chicken, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. All through dinner, the conversation changed topics rapidly.

"Hey mom, have you seen my camp shirt?" Percy asked.

"Have you looked under your bed recently? It's probably under there along with all the other stuff you loose." Sally replied jokingly.

"Have you heard from Anabeth lately?" Percy asked a second later. The The ADHD acting up again, Paul guessed.

"Oooooooo Percy and Anabeth sitting in a tree,"

"Mom!" Percy groaned. Sally just laughed.

"How does that even work. Knowing Anabeth, she'd never sit in a tree unless there was some sort of practical reason for it." Percy muttered, making Sally laugh harder.

"So you do want to kiss her, then?" Sally asked, smiling.

"Where did you even come up with that, mom?" Percy demanded then asked. "Hey Paul, when is that test going to be? I need to study." At this, both Paul and Sally threw their heads back and laughed.

"Who are you and what have you done with Percy?" Sally demanded. The rest of dinner went on this way. Paul, smiling serenely, wondered how it would feel to be a permanent part of this wonderful family. He found that he quite liked the thought.

A/N. Hi guys. Sorry this chapter is so short. I'll try to update sooner and with longer chapters. School is starting for me in a week, so I've got to get ready for that. I've decided I'm going to ask you guys a question ever chapter. So, the question for this chapter is: Have any for you guys seen Sea of Monsters, and if you did, was it good? Thanks for reading, guys, and let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N. Omg guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews, follows and favorites! I really wasn't expecting to get much of a response out of this chapter but you guys are so awesome! Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson!

The final bell rang in it's usual shrill, irritating way. Nevertheless, Paul grinned and joint the stream of students heading toward the parking lot. He searched the crowd for Percy, but couldn't seem to find him anywhere. That messy black hair should be easy enough to find, shouldn't it? Sighing, Paul resumed his journey to the parking lot, thinking that Percy must somehow already be there.

Paul arrived at his car to find that Percy was not anywhere in sight. Paul decided to wait by his car for a few minutes. Paul was sure that he must have missed him. Maybe he was talking with a friend? Paul leaned against the car to wait for him.

Five minutes later, found Paul still watching the ever-diminishing stream of students exiting the school's front doors. Slightly worried, now, Paul decided that he would head home. Maybe Percy had caught a ride with a friend?

As Paul drove, he couldn't stop worrying about the whereabouts of Percy. Surely, Percy would have informed Paul if he was riding with someone else?

Paul pulled up to the their apartment building and got out of his car. He hurried up to the apartment and unlocked the door. Upon entering, he saw that Sally Jackson was baking yet another batch of Percy's favorite blue cookies.

"Hi, Paul," Sally said, coming over and kissing him quickly. Paul smiled before remembering that he had no idea where  
Percy was at this moment. His smile faded. "What's wrong?" Sally asked becoming immediately concerned.

"Well, I have no idea where Percy is." Her face filled with worry.

"Was he at school today?" Sally enquired.

"Yes, he was in my last period English class." Paul told her. "But, when I was walking out to the parking lot, I lost him." Sally's frown got deeper.

"Well, he'll be back soon enough." Sally sighed. Paul could tell she was trying to reassure him, and herself as well. Paul nodded, only half convinced.

The rest of the afternoon passed. Paul sat at his desk, trying to grade papers. His mind kept wandering to Percy. He should have gotten home hours ago. Where was he now? Was he safe? Paul moved another essay to the center of his desk and began to grade. He stared at the words on the page, unable to comprehend them. In a sudden fit of temper, he stood up and slammed the paper down on his desk with a smack. Sally's head jerked up from her laptop, surprised.

"Paul?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. Paul walked over to her.

"I'm sorry," Paul apologized, kissing Sally on the forehead. "I'm j... Well... I'm really worried." Sally nodded, flicking her eyes back to her laptop. Paul followed her gaze. She was working on her novel, and Paul could tell that she hadn't written a word since sitting down at her laptop. Paul could tell that Sally was obviously worried.

"I can go look for him," Paul suggests, walking toward the front door.

"No," Sally said sharply. Paul looked at her, surprised. Sally Jackson never raised her voice. She must be more worried than Paul had originally guessed. "It really wouldn't be the best idea to go." Sally explained. "He can take care of himself. He'll be fine." Paul wondered how in the world a fifteen-year-old boy could take care of himself in the middle of New York City. Sure, Percy was obviously an unusual fifteen-year-old, but st...

The afternoon dissolved into the evening. Paul watched the sun sink below the New York skyline, turning the sky orange. He watched as the orange slowly gave way to purple darkness. Paul fidgeted uneasily. He'd had enough of sitting around and waiting.

"I'm going to go find him." Paul said abruptly, rising from his chair and crossing the room.

"Paul! It's dangerous, don't risk it! He'll be fine." Sally exclaimed.

"I have to at least look for him." Paul told her, giving her a smile before exiting the apartment.

Paul got in his car, deciding that he would drive the rout between the apartment and school until he saw something. The traffic was heavy at this time of night, so he had no problem driving slowly through the streets and scanning the alleys and dark doorways that he saw. It was about 10 minutes before he saw anything unusual. Several shadows were flitting around in an alleyway, moving as if they were fighting. Paul stopped the car and got out quickly, walking over to the shadows. As he approached, he could tell that the figures were, indeed, fighting. Grunts and hisses of pain came from all three of the figures. As Paul walked closer and closer, he saw that one figure had unruly black hair, another had long blond hair, and the third was flickering strangely, as if formed from mist. Two of the figures lunged and fainted, dodging and delivering blows. The figure with the black hair-Paul guessed it was Percy-seemed to be fighting with a baseball bat. Paul blinked, sure he was seeing things. The Percy Jackson who carried his mom's groceries, fighting with a baseball bat? Paul moved closer still.

"Paul! What are you doing here?" Percy turned his head long enough to shout. This gave the third figure enough time to scratch Percy with it's... Wait, were those claws? Percy let out another hiss of pain and spun back around to resume fighting. Paul stepped forward to help, but Percy pushed him back firmly. "I'll be fine." Percy said between dodges and thrusts with the bat. "Why are you even here?"

"I came to find you. Your mother was worried." Paul wasn't sure if he should admit being concerned himself. Percy nodded, looking guilty as he continued fighting.

The fight lasted about five minutes longer. As the fight progressed, Paul's certainty of his mental health diminished. He could have sworn that the blond-haired girl disappeared several times, only to re-appear in a different place than she was previously. At the end of the fight, the misty figure hissed and disappeared into a cloud of sand. Paul shook his head for what felt like the millionth time today and stared at Percy and the girl.

"You look hurt pretty bad. Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" Paul questioned.

"No, let's just go home. Anabeth and I will be fine?" Percy assured him. So the blond-haired girl was the mysterious Anabeth? Paul smiled knowingly at the two of them. They were both staring at each other, neither of them seeming to notice Paul's smile. They continued to stare at each other from about ten more seconds before Paul decided that it was time to interrupt.

"Guys." He said pointedly. They both jumped and looked at Paul. "Let's go get you cleaned up." Paul continued.

The drive back to the apartment was relatively uneventful. As soon as they entered the apartment, Sally was on them, hugging both Percy and Anabeth and fussing over them.

"Oh, let me get the first aid kit." Sally told them, looking pointedly at the two teens. Paul didn't quite understand this look, but decided to ignore it.

Percy and Anabeth sat on the couch, arguing about who would treat who's wounds first. Anabeth pulled what looked to Paul like a lemon bar from a zip lock bag.

"You need it more than I do, Percy, have some first." Anabeth insisted.

"No, wisegirl, you need it more than me. You're the one with the gash on your arm." Percy retorted.

"You're such a seaweed brain, seaweed brain." Anabeth sighed, but took the lemon bar-looking thing and ate a piece. To Paul's surprise, her cut healed almost instantly.

"Now you have some," Anabeth insisted, practically forcing the lemon bar-like things down Percy's throat. His cuts healed almost instantly also. Paul raised his eyebrows at Sally, wondering how it could be possible. Sally just shook her head. Paul was beginning to feel mildly hurt by the constant withholding of information, but he didn't show it.

Instead, he smiled at Sally and mouthed, "They'd make a perfect couple." Sally, smiling as well, nodded.

A/N. Sorry the ending was so crappy. Anyway, I really hope you guys liked the chapter, and please let me know what you think.

Question of the chapter: What was your reaction to the end of Moa?

Thanks for reading, guys!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N. Omg y'all! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in like a million years. I really have no explanation other than what I'm about to tell you, and it's really crap, so if you don't want to read it, don't. This year, I'm starting high school, joining a debate team, student council, and doing dance along with community service hours. I absolutely love this story, so I'm trying to find time to write. Hope y'all will forgive me! Anyway, I'll shut up and let you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson! If I did, I'd be a middle-aged man, which I am not, I promise!

Chapter 5

Paul tossed and turned in his bed, trying to fall asleep. Try as he might, sleep would not come. He couldn't stop playing the attack over of over again in his head. He kept seeing Percy and Anabeth darting among shadows, and then he remembered the sand-like substance that covered them from head to toe. He hadn't seen anything like it in his entire life, and he doubted he would ever see anything like it again. In the darkness of his room, it seemed more and more like he was going insane. Paul heaved a sigh and got out of bed, putting on a pair of sweats he found on the floor. Smiling ruefully, he realized that he was acting just like Percy.

Paul walked out of his room, trying to find an excuse to be in a place filled with light where he could reorganize his thoughts more easily. Shaking his head, he entered the kitchen only to find Percy sitting there on the couch. His hair was tangled and messy as usual, but the bright look that Paul normally associated with Percy was absent from his bright green eyes. Paul gave Percy and concerned look and sat down next to him.

"What's wrong, Percy?" Paul questioned. Percy stared at Paul for a second before answering slowly.

"I'm... well... I don't know Paul." Percy responded, uncertainty clouding his features. "I just feel like all of this is my fault." Percy continued to explain.

"What exactly happened, anyway?" Paul enquired carefully, aware that Percy and Sally were both withholding information that they were hesitant to share. He thought, however, that there wasn't any harm in asking, since the worst thing Percy could do is say no. Percy stared straight ahead, obviously trying to edit what he should and shouldn't say.

"Well, I left the school building after you did because I had to talk to some of my friends." Paul smiled, somewhat exasperated that this was an obligation of Percy's, but dismissed it mostly out of curiosity and concern for what had happened. "I finished talking to them and walked out of the building. I tried to find your car, but before I could, I saw Anabeth." Paul smiled knowingly. Yes, of course this had to do with Percy's extremely obvious crush. "She explained t... well, she explained that she needed my help with... something, and," Paul knew it probably wasn't the best time to interrupt Percy's account of the story, but he thought he should know.

"What did she need help with?"

"She and a group needed help getting rid of something." Paul nodded, but inside he was feeling concerned and a bit baffled. Was Percy in some kind of gang or organization? "I decided that I should help, so Anabeth and I walked around, trying to find this thing that was threatening someone. Eventually, we did, and began to get rid of it. The whole thing took way longer than we both expected." Percy heaved a sigh. "And then you showed up. I'm really sorry I can't tell you exactly what happened tonight. It's j... It's not a practical or safe idea at all." Paul nodded, though he didn't quite understand everything that was occurring. Then, Paul recalled the start of their conversation.

"Why do you feel like it's your fault?" Paul asked. Nothing he just heard sounded at all like something that Percy could blame himself for.

"If I'd been more careful, Anabeth wouldn't have gotten hurt. I just blame myself for the injuries she got. All those," Percy stopped himself, glancing at Paul before continuing. It was obvious to Paul that Percy had nearly slipped and said something that he hadn't intended to. "All those things are after me, not her. They want me because of who I am. They don't really give a crap about her, so it's my fault that she was in danger in the first place." Percy heaved a sigh, turning his head away from Paul's gaze. Paul looked at Percy for a long moment, trying to figure out if he was impressed or startled by Percy's admissions. Instead of continuing the conversation, Paul sighed and put his hand on Percy's shoulder.

"You'll get through this, Percy. Whatever is going on, you'll get through it. I know you can't exactly tell me, but whenever you just need a man to man talk, I'm always here." Paul tried to assure his stepson. Percy smiled at Paul in thanks. "Now, it is a school night, so get to bed, Percy. I know you hate school, but Anabeth wouldn't want you to miss school. You know how she is about education and academics and all that."

Immediately, Percy jumped up and hurried to his room, calling out, "Night Paul! Thanks!. Paul chuckled softly, and the sound mingled with the soft closing of Percy's bedroom door. It was sweet how even the mention of Anabeth's name had that effect on Percy. It was at that moment that Paul came to a realization. Sure, Percy could be strange, unusual, and downright confusing at times, but Paul couldn't possibly ask for a better son. Smiling, Paul stood from the couch and got a glass of water. He slipped back into his room and climbed quietly into bed so as not to wake Sally. She stirred slightly, and Paul kissed her on the forehead, turning over and falling into a peaceful sleep, all cares pushed from his mind by the thought of the wonderful family he suddenly found himself a part of.

A/N. Awwwh I just love those father son bonding moments. Again, I'm sorry I haven't updated. If you have any suggestions for Paul oneshots, let me know in a review or Pm. Thanks so much for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N. Hey again guys! Two chapters in one day to make up for not updating in awhile. I got a couple reviews about my spelling in the first chapter of this story. I am extremely sorry about that. I was typing it on my mac and had auto correct enabled. Ridiculous blond moment to think that I shouldn't have proofread the chapter. Thanks so much for reading, guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson!

Chapter 6

The classroom was hot and muggy, and the voice of the teacher at the front of the room couldn't have sounded more monotonous, even to the teacher himself. This particular teacher, Paul, tried to bring some enthusiasm back to his classroom full of sophomores. The sophomores in question couldn't seem to care less about the man trying to regain their attention in front of the classroom. One student in particular, Paul noticed, was not paying attention to him, but writing frantically on a piece of paper. This student looked up for a moment and Paul recognized that it was Percy. Paul gave the boy a questioning look, trying to decide if he was writing a note to a friend or suddenly becoming studious and doing some homework.

"Percy, please put the paper away and pay attention to the lecture. Can you tell me what we were just discussing?" Paul chastised. He noticed, quite ruefully, that it was this, not the lesson, that snapped every head in the room to attention. Every student was now staring at Percy, waiting for him to respond.

"I was finishing an essay for history class. I just finished, so can I go give it to Mr. Gray?" Paul knew this was an overused stereotypical comeback, but he decided to infuriate everyone in the room with it, anyway.

"Of course you can. You are perfectly capable of doing so. The question is, however. May you go give that essay to Mr. Gray?" Exasperated, Percy sighed and shook his head.

"May I? Whatever." Percy muttered. Paul nodded, and that was all it took to send Percy sprinting from the room. The rest of the class snickered and began to text people under their desks again. As if Paul didn't notice. Normally, he would point this out, but he was tired and exasperated. As it so happened, his mind could not be further from this inconsequential tenth grade English classroom. Paul was pondering the fact that Percy was actually doing his home"work for once in his life. Paul figured it was to much to hope, but he maybe he was influencing Percy to actually do his homework?

The rest of the period slipped by in a blur. Finally, the bell rang, and the class was out of the room in an instant. The only student who remained behind was Percy.

"Would you mind grabbing a ride home with one of your friend?" Paul asked, his teacher persona slipping as soon as the class had left.

"Sure." Percy agreed, waving to Paul and slipping from the room.

Paul settled down at his desk to grade papers. Before beginning to grade, he sent a quick text to Sally telling her that Percy was riding home with a friend. Ever since that day when Percy hadn't gotten home until hours after school let out, they both made sure that the other knew how and when Percy would get home. The sound of the clock ticking was the only thing that disturbed the quiet of Paul's classroom. An hour passed in this way until Paul was suddenly and surprisingly interrupted by someone storming into his classroom. He looked up in surprise, not expecting anyone to even be here this late in the day. The man walking briskly toward Paul's desk was one he knew well, but was not to fond of. Henry Gray was one of Good High school's history teachers and had a reputation among both faculty and students for being extremely bad-tempered. Paul sighed mentally, getting ready for one of Henry's tirades. Perhaps he shouldn't have let Percy go in the middle of class to give him that essay. Speaking of which, Henry had a paper in his hand, which he was waving around wildly. He slammed the paper down on the desk with a ferocity that Paul found to be quite unnecessary in a situation like this.

"Paul!" Henry exclaimed by way of a friendly greeting. Paul nodded, and tried his best to be courteous.

"Hello Henry, how can I help you?" Instead of returning the favor, Henry seemed to become angrier.

"Your son turned this into me today." Henry exclaimed.

"When has turning in an assignment become something to scream about?" Paul enquired, genuinely curious.

"It does become an issue when the paper is written in a different language!" Henry continued on. He slid the paper in front of Paul. There, yet again, in front of Paul's eyes were the neat symbols and characters of the ancient Greek Language. Paul sucked in a breath. He remembered Percy telling him that he sometimes slipped into the language when he was hurriedly writing something. If the way he had been scribbling on the paper today in English was any indication, Percy was definitely in a hurry to finish. Despite his concern of what this development would bring about, Paul was impressed that Percy would actually rush to turn in an assignment on time.

"Yes. Percy learned Greek while at a summer camp. He slips into it when he is in a hurry." Paul tried to sound reasonable.

"None of Percy's other teachers know ab... Well... This development. Most of them have little faith that Percy can do well academically." Henry spat at Paul. Paul felt his face turning red with anger. He knew there wasn't much hope for Percy academically, but what these teachers failed to notice was his potential as a person and that he just wrote an essay in another language. Paul proceeded to tell him so.

"And if you have a problem with this, just come to talk to me again. I'd say give Percy at least a decent grade on this assignment. He did, after all, write it in a different language. Also," Paul said pointedly, staring directly at Henry. "Tell your colleagues that they severely underestimated my stepson. If you have any further complaints about Percy's academic accomplishments, you can talk to me and I'll be happy to explain all this to you again." Paul had no idea that he had this in him. He was usually pretty easygoing and tried to be courteous whenever possible. He did know, however, that Percy of all people deserved to be recognized for the accomplishment of writing in another language. Paul glanced up from examining the essay to see Henry Gray sauntering out of the room as if nothing had happened. Paul sighed and took his stack of papers still in need of grading to his car. Henry had taking up all his grading time with pointless ranting. When he got home, Paul decided that he would have to congratulate Percy on his good grade on his history essay.

A/N. Hey guys. I'm so sorry for the crappy chapter. Thanks again for the reviews, and keep them coming! I appreciate positive comments along with CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Thanks for reading!


End file.
